Sunday, 14 June 2015

I have that feeling, that summer feeling....wanting to spend time at the water...any water would do but the ocean would be the preference. Just counting down the days until we take vacation. We are headed to the West Coast again as it is one of my favorite places to be, comes in second though to being with my family and most importantly my beautiful granddaughter. This is such a joyous time in my life but especially in my daughter's life. Everyday is a blessing and a joy...

Ah Beasty

Speaking of summer I had wanted to make this necklace for a long time (Jimmie Boatwright pattern featured in Bead and Button). I love how it lays on your neck in soft waves....speaks to me of the ocean and all things peaceful. I made a version of the pattern into a bracelet, such a beautiful calming set to wear!

Saturday, 6 June 2015

It is time
for another "A Time to Stitch" hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller, this round is number seven and I am so happy to be participating
because it is my favorite form of beading…. Bead Embroidery.

I fell in
love with Bead Embroidery a long time ago, and have always held a soft spot in
my heart for it.To me it is like
painting on a blank canvas but with beads. The creative juices just flow and I
find that once I start a piece it is almost impossible for me to put it down
until it’s completed.

I love
working with seed beads and special stones, stones that have deep meaning to me
and then adding different elements and pieces that make each piece a statement
of their own and a work of art.

As most of you know I was recently blessed with the most precious gift ever, a
beautiful granddaughter.

Zoe Amelia

I wanted to
make something very special for her to come home from the hospital in and as I
am a knitter as well as a beader, I wanted to incorporate both into something spectacular. I made her the most precious one of a kind pair of slippers; fit
for a princess (for that’s what she is to me). I knitted a pair of tiny “Mary Jane”
type slippers in the softest pink wool, felted them and then went crazy
covering them in beautiful pearls, crystals, seed beads, and small tiny silver
beads. I showed my good friend who had just become an auntie to an adorable
little niece and she asked that I make her a pair as well. Both pairs are very
unique and I am sure will become heirlooms. To go with each pair of slippers I
made a tiny seed pearl bracelet for each precious child.

Princess Zoe Amelia Slippers

Princess Everly Slippers

I was having
so much fun making these that I made the little mice slippers as well,
and even though there are not as many beads on these one’s they are just as
cute – let’s call them everyday slippers with beady little eyes.

Little Mice for tiny feet

I have made
many bead embroidery pieces, large and small, bracelets and necklaces – they
still intrigue me, see here and here. My tastes have shifted slightly and I now wear simpler
designs, see here. That being said bead embroidery can be used to make some pretty
awesome pendants.The first pendant was
made to showcase the beautiful mauve iridescent crystal I had in my stash. I
may be wearing simpler designs but they are still sparkly. The crystal is such
a pretty color and luckily I had some perfectly matching and complimentary
drops, a glass cab and seed beads to go with it. I loved how the pendant turned
out but was undecided on the rope. I tried many different rope designs and was
actually getting quite frustrated. Then when visiting my LBS I saw the
prettiest mauve wire and knew that a Viking knit rope was the answer - perfect
combination in my mind.

Ishtar

The second
piece I made features a large ruby drop pendant. I loved the stone as soon as I
saw it and as my husband and I were on vacation I thought I would get it to
celebrate our time away. The price seemed exceptionally reasonable for such a
large ruby so I eagerly took it to the counter to purchase. I was a bit shocked
to find out the price was per gram not for the whole pendant and it was substantially
more than I originally thought. That is a little secret we just won’t mention to my husband. Considering
the price of the stone I wanted to do something special with it but couldn’t
think what, it sat for a long time. Then ATTS7 came along and it begged to be
used.I love East Indian clothing and jewelry
and this being a ruby fit so well. I used pearls, seed bead, crystals, garnets
and of course the ruby. Again I had trouble deciding on the rope but settled
upon an embellished RAW rope. I love how this turned out – I just need to find
some ruby drop earrings to go with it.

India

Thank you Therese and Christine for hosting this awesome event, here's to many more.